


The Souls of Men

by Anburwell



Category: Fantasy - Fandom, Vikings (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-31
Updated: 2019-05-31
Packaged: 2020-04-05 16:48:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19044433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anburwell/pseuds/Anburwell





	1. Creation

Burning ice, biting flame; that is how life began. In the south, there is a realm called Muspell. That region flickers with dancing flames. It seethes and it shines. No one can endure it except to those who are born into it. Black Surt is there; he sits on the furthest reach of that land, brandishing a flaming sword; he is already waiting for the end when he will rise and savage the gods and whelm the whole work with fire.  
In the north is a land called Niflheim. It is packed with ice and covered with vast sweeps of snow. In the heart of that region lies in the spring Hvergelmir and that is the source of eleven rivers named Elivagar: they are cool Svol and Gunnthra the defiant, Fjorm and bubbling Fimbulthul, fearsome slid and storming Hrid, Slyg, Ylg, broad Vid and Leipt which streaks like lightning, and freezing Gjoll.  
Between the realms there once stretched a huge and seaming emptiness; this was Ginnungagap. The rivers that sprang from Hvergelmir streamed into the void. The yeasty venom in them thickened and congealed like slag, and the rivers turned to ice. That venom also spat out drizzle-an unending dismal hagger that, as soon as it settled, turned into rime. So it went on until all the northern part of Ginnungagap was heavy with layers of ice and hoar frost, a desolate place haunted by gust and skuthers of wind. Just as the northern part was frozen, the southern was molten and glowing, but the middle of Ginnungagap was as mild as hanging air on a summer evening. There, the warm breath drifting north from Muspell met the rime from Niflheim; it touched it and played over it and played over it, and the ice began to thaw and drip. Life quickened in those drops, and they took the form of a giant. He was called Ymir. Ymir was a frost giant; he was evil from the first. While he slept, he began to sweat. A man and woman grew out of the ooze under his left armpit, and one of his legs fathered a son and on the other leg.  
Ymir was the forefather of all the frost giants, and they called him Aurgelmir. As more of the ice in Ginnungagap melted, the fluid took the form of a cow. She was called Audumla. Ymir fed off the four rivers of milk that coursed from her teats, and Audhumla fed off the ice itself. She licked the salty blocks by the evening of the first day a man’s hair had come out of the ice. Audumla licked more and by the evening of the second day, a man’s head had come. Audumla licked again and by the evening of the third day, the whole man had come. His name was Buri.  
Buri was tall and strong and good-looking. In time he had a son called Bor and Bor married a daughter of Bolthor, one of the frost giants. Her name was Bestla and she mothered three children, all of them sons. The first was Odin, the second was Vili, and the third was Ve.

All this was in the beginning before there were waves of sand, the sea’s cool waves, waving grass. There was no earth and no heaven above; only Muspell and Niflheim and, between them, Ginnungagap. The three sons of Bor had no liking for Ymir and the growing gang of unruly, brutal frost giants; as time went on, they grew to hate them. At last, they attacked Ymir and killed him. His wounds were like springs; so much blood streamed from them, and so fast, that the flood drown all the frost giants except Bergelmir and his wife. They embarked in their boat-it was made of hollowed tree trunk-and rode on a tide of gore.  
Odin and Vili and Ve hoisted the body of the dead frost giant on to their shoulders and carted it to the middle of Ginnungagap. That is where they made the world from his body. They shaped the earth from Ymir’s flesh and the mountains from his unbroken bones; from his teeth and jaws and the fragments of his shattered bones they made rocks and boulders and stones.  
Odin and Vili and Ve used the welter of blood to make landlocked lakes and to make the sea. After they have formed the earth, they laid the rocking ocean in a ring right around it. And it is so wide that most men would dismiss the ever idea of crossing it.  
Then the three brothers raised Ymir’s skull and made the sky from it and placed it so that it’s four corners reached to the ends of the earth. They set a dwarf under each corner, and their names are East and West and North and South. Then Odin and Vili and Ve seized on the sparks and glowing embers from Muspell and called them sun and moon and stars; they put them high in Ginnungagap to light heaven above and earth below. In this way the brothers gave each star its proper place; some were fixed in the sky, others were free to follow the paths appointed for them.  
The earth was round and lay within the ring of the deep sea. Along the strand the sons of Bor marked out tracts of land and gave them to the frost giants and the rock giants: and there, in Jotunheim, the giants settled and remained. They were so hostile that the three brothers built an enclosure further inland around a vast area of the earth. They shaped it out of Ymir’s eyebrows, and called it Midgard. The sun warmed the stones in the earth there, and the ground was green with sprouting leeks. The sons of Bor used Ymir’s brains as well; they flung them up into the air and turned them into every kind of cloud.  
One day, Odin and Vili and Ve were striding along the frayed edge of the land, where the earth meets the sea. They came across two fallen trees with their roots ripped out of the ground; one was an ash, the other an elm. Then the sons of Bor raised them and made from them the first man and woman. Odin breathed into them the spirit of life; Vili offered them sharp wits and feeling hearts; and Ve gave them the gifts of hearing and sight. The man was called Ask and the women Embla and races of men are descended from them.  
One of the giants living in Jotunheim, Narvi, had a daughter called Night who was as dark eyed, dark haired and swarthy as the rest of her family. She married three times. Her first husband was a man called Naglfari and their son was Aud; her second husband was Annar and their daughter was Earth; and her third husband was shining Delling who was related to the sons of Bor. Their son was Day and, like all his father’s side of the family, Day was radiant and fair of face.  
Then Odin took Night and her son Day, sat them in horse-drawn chariots, and set them in the sky to ride round the world every two half-days. Night leads the way and her horse is frosty-maned Hrimfaxi. Day’s horse is Skinfaxi; he has a gleaming mane that lights up sky and earth alike.  
A man called Mundilfari living in Midgard had two children and they were so beautiful that he called his son Moon and his daughter Sun; Sun married a man called Glen. Odin and his brothers and their offspring, the Aesir, were angered at such daring. They snatched away both children and placed them in the sky to guide the chariots of the sun and moon- the constellations made by the sons of Bor to light the world out of the sparks from Muspell.  
Moon leads the way. He guides the moon on its path and decides when he will wax and wane. He does not travel alone, as you can see if you look into the sky; for Moon in turn plucked two children form Midgar, Bil and Hjuki, who father is Vidfinn. They were just walking away from the well Byrgir, carrying between them the water cask Soeg on the pole Simul, when Moon swooped down and carried them off.  
Sun follows behind. One of her horses is called Arvak because he rises so early, and the other Alsvid because he is immensely strong. The Aesir inserted iron-cold bellows under their shoulder-blades to keep them cool. Sun always seems to be in a great hurry, and that is because she is chased by Skoll, the wolf who is always snapping and growling close behind her. In the end he will catch her. And the wolf that races in front of Sun is called Hati; he is after Moon and will run him down in the end. Both wolves are the sons of an aged giantess who lived in Iron Wood, east of Midgard.  
After the sons of Bor had made the first man and woman, and set Night and Day, Moon and Sun in the sky, they remembered the maggots that had squirmed and swarmed in Ymir’s flesh and crawled over the earth. Then they gave them wits and the shape of men, but they live under the hills and mountains in rocky chambers and grottoes and caverns. These man-like maggots are called dwarfs. Motsognir is their leader and his deputy is Durin.  
So the earth was fashioned and filled with men and giants and dwarfs, surrounded by the sea and covered by the sky. Then the sons of Bor built their own realm of Asgard-a mighty stronghold, a place of green plains and shining palaces high over Midgard. The two regions were linked by Bifrost, a flaming rainbow bridge; it was made of three colors with magic and great skill, and it is wonderfully strong. All the Aesir, the guardians of men, crossed over and settled in Asgard. Odin, Allfather, is the oldest and greatest of them all; there are twelve divine gods and twelve divine goddesses, and a great assembly of other Aesir. And this was the beginning of all that has happened, remembered or forgotten, in the regions of the world.

And all that has happened, and all the regions of the world, lie under the branches of the ash Yggdrasil, greatest and best of trees. It soars over all that is; its three roost delve into Asgard and Jotunheim and Niflheim, and there is a spring under each. A hawk and eagle sit in it, a squirrel scurries up and down it, deer leap within it and nibble at it, a dragon devours it, and it is sprinkled with dew. It gives life to itself, it gives life to the unborn. The winds whirl round it and Yggdrasill croons or groans. Yggdrasill always was and is and will be.


	2. Prized Voyagers

The boat crashed against the land. They had returned home from the west. And not empty-handed either. Her father would be proud.  
“Thora!” a voice calls from behind. She turns to find her friends Hella and Erika standing behind her. Hella talks first.  
“Your father would be proud, Thora,” Hella claps a hand on her shoulder. Her knees buckle a bit but she laughs anyway. Her accent had always been thicker than Thora’s. But none of the less Scandinavian.  
“Thank you Hella,” She says.  
“Your father would be proud of me as well considering that I got you there,” Her friend Erika calls from the boat. Thora rolls her eyes and laughs.  
“Must you always take credit for everything,” Thora laughs turning to the other girl. She kicks some water up at her.  
“I do when I deserve it,” Erika laughs. They help the men unload the boat and carry the cargo into the village. Once they have all the cargo in the village her father comes out of their house and stands in front of them.  
“My Daughter!” he greets. She smiles at him as he walks down to her. Hella and Erika were standing on either side of her. “Hella, Erika. How were the raids?”   
“We have everything and everyone don’t we.” Thora states. “It went well for us father, the Saxons almost made it too easy.”  
“They always do.” He father agrees, “I trust you didn’t lose anyone?”  
“Do I ever?” She asks playfully. He laughs loudly and pulls her into him.  
“And they say that a father should be proud of his sons.” He states loudly, “Whoever said that, never had a daughter as skilled as mine.” She smiles and looks down.  
“Father, you boast too loudly,” She chasides, “the gods were on our side.”  
“Of course they were,” He agrees. He laughs again and starts to distribute everything throughout the village.”Thora! Come to me.” She stops laughing with her friends and comrades and goes to her father.  
“Yes father?” when she enters the room, her father, and people she doesn't know sit in front of her. “Who are these men?”  
“These men, my daughter, wish to make a request,” he begins, “considering your fame.” She changes the way she stands.  
“And what’s the request,” She asks, faking the utmost respect. She turns to the men. Among them was a boy about her age who was looking at her. She tilts her head at him. He turns his gaze to his father. She looks at the man she does not know.  
“The request is, considering your skills,” The man begins, “We have a rather, skillful, enemy close among us in a not so close but not too far away land in the east. In Kattegat.”  
“Kattegat?” she asks confused, “They are but mere children compared to my home, and I am assuming your’s as well, what are they to me and my father?”  
“You were right Rodmar,” The man says to her father, “She will make an excellent Earl one day.” He looks back at her. Face still bloody and dirty from the raid. “Thora, my dear, they are excellent at campflogue. They are good at pretend. But what you don’t know is that they are planning to attack our lands.”  
“Do they not know what we will do to them?” She asks laughing slightly. She stands up straighter. “What do you wish for me to do, I’m sorry, you never told me your name Earl?”  
“Ah yes, I’m Earl Hrok Egner,” Hrok introduces, he points to his son, “this is my son Ari Egner.”  
“It’s a pleasure,” She bows slightly in respect, “Earl Eger, the request?”  
“Yes,” He begins again, “Your father and I wish to send you into their land to see just exactly what we’re dealing with.”  
“Of course I will.” She nods. She turns her head to her father, “is that all father?”  
“Yes thora that is all, you shall leave tomorrow.” Her father tells her, “You may go.” He gestures to the door and she nods. She leaves and finds Hella waiting on the steps. She creeps up behind her slowly. Then grabs her shoulders and yells out.  
“Thora! You disgusting barbarian,” she calls out, “What is the matter with you.” Thora laughs at her friend.  
“Oh come on Hella, I was only playing around,” She informs. Hella scoffs.  
“What did you father want with you?” Hella asks. Thora sits down next to her.  
“He wanted to introduce me to the Earl and his son,” she informs. She places her arms on her knees, “To send me to Kattegat.”  
“Kattegat? But why?” Hella asks confused, “What would they want with Kattegat, it only just becoming a land.”  
“I know this, you know this,” she agrees, “But father and the Earl Egner think that they will threaten us one day.”  
“Earl Egner?” She states, “Of Hofsa?”  
“The same,” She informs.  
“What do they want you to do?” Hella asks.  
“They want me to act as a spy and scope out their land and resources,” Thora informs. “I have accepted.” Hella looks shocked. “Why do you look so surprised?” She smiles at her friend.  
“Because you have never been one to,” Hella starts, “What do the Saxons say, ‘Enter quietly.’” Thora falls loudly.  
“You’re right,” Thora agrees, “But father needs me to do this, for the sake of Hofsa and Forsa.”  
“You are too loyal my friend,” Hella states. She looks at her from the side.  
“When was that a bad thing” Thora states.  
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The sun rises in her eyes and she rolls away from it. She groans as she sits up. Her father comes bursting in.  
“Thora, get dressed,” He commands, “you’re leaving in ten minutes.” she only grunts as her response. Nonetheless, she gets ready. She walks out of her home. The Earl’s son, Ari, dressing her horse.  
“Hey!” she yells out to him, “That’s my horse you idiot, what do you think you’re doing?” He father, hearing her yelling comes out, following her.  
“Daughter, calm down dear,” she turns to her father, anger in her eyes, “Ari is going with you, he was merely helping.” She stands straighter.  
“Going with me? Father-” He holds up his hand, she stops speaking. “He is going. Get yourself another horse.” she sets her jaw as he walks away. She kicks the dirt after him. “damn þú!”. She turns to Ari. “Stay out of my way.” She tells him through clenched teeth. She walks past him, ramming her shoulder into his as she passes as she walks to the stables to fetch another one of her horses. She bursts open the door and walks in angrily.  
“hvat givur þú rit til add annarr maðr til þessi quest.” She mumbles angrily to herself, “þú asked ek, eigi hann. Ek don't þorfua hans help.” she spits at the ground. She hears footsteps behind her.  
“Believe me, I don’t want this anymore than you do,” She turns around fast to see Ari in front of her. “I don’t wish to join you. You seem very capable to do this on your own, shield maiden.” she scoffs, looking away from him.  
“Oh please, don’t flatter me,” She tells him, he unleashes the horse from it’s stable, holding onto it's rope. “Be helpful and grab a saddle.” She walks the horse out of the stable and into the village. Ari following behind her. She gives the horses to him and walks to the bakery to get food for the trip. She opens the door and walks in to greet Freja, the baker in charge.  
“Good morning Freja,” she greets happily. Freja turns and smiles at her.  
“Leaving again?” She asks sweetly, Thora smiles.  
“An Earl’s daughter’s job is never done.” She jokes. Freja laughs again.  
“Of course not,” She agrees, “Do you have everything you need? All you weapons and things?” Thora laughs at her friend.  
“Yes, I do, thank you for asking,” Thora states, “The usual Freja please.” Freja nods and starts packing her a bag. Once she’s done he hands it to her and Thora pays.  
“Thank you as always Freja,” Thora says as she leaves.  
“Don’t die Thora, I wish you see you rule one day.” Freja calls as she was leaving. She stops at the door and smiles.  
“Of course not,” Thora smiles. And with that, she leaves and gets on to her horse next to Ari. she nods to her father and the Earl Egner. She turns to Ari and moves her horse forward. They don’t talk much on the journey and when they do, it is only two sentences at most. She turns to him. They looked well enough like each other. He was rather handsome, she couldn’t ignore it, but he carried an arrogance around him that couldn’t be ignored either. She turns away, and looks forward.  
“You know,” she begins, he turns his head and looks at her, “We need to figure out what our story will be when we get there.” He nods.  
“And what do you want it to be?” he asks. She looks forward and then at him.  
“We could be brother and sister,” She begins, “We look enough like each other”  
“Then siblings we will be,” Ari jokes, she returns his smile. He looks at her and then in front of him and then back at her. “Can I ask you something?” She turns to him. She shrugs.  
“What do you want?” she asks. He laughs at her answer.  
“You find me annoying don’t you?” He asks. She smiles at the road before her.  
“Yes,” She starts, “and no.” he laughs. She was beginning to like the sound of his laughter.  
“What kind of an answer is that?” Ari smiles. She smirks in front of her.  
“I admit,” She starts again, “I still don’t enjoy the fact that you with me, but you’re better than no one at all.” She smirks at him.  
“Thank you,” he puts a hand to his heart. She laughs. They trek on down the road to Kattegat. The journey was long and tiresome, but Thora had begun to enjoy having Ari with her. They laughed and talked and got to know one another.  
“There, the gate in front of us,”Ari points in front of them, “We’re here.” The people at the gate stand up and the two of then stop their horses. She looks at him.  
“Follow my lead,” She tells him quietly as the people from the gate walk up to them. Once they reach them, Thora dismounts her horse.  
“Who are you?” the gate guard on the left states. She lifts her hands to show that she was unarmed.  
“I am Hella Oye and this is my brother Erlender,” She tells the guard. The men lower their swords, “We have come from Enni, seeking refuge.”  
“Come with us,” He points to Ari, “Off your horse, follow us on foot.” They both nod and follow. The lead them to the Earl’s hall. The doors open and in front of them in the Hall sits the Earl and his son.  
“My lord, these two refugees from Enni seek our help,” The gate guard informs their Earl.  
“Thank you, Ivak,” He looks at the one on her left and then the one on Ari’s right, “Thank you Arne, you two may return to your posts.” they nod and walk out out of the hall. He, his wife and his sons look at them. Only one of the boys was their age, and he was rather handsome. He looked like his father, though not like his mother.   
‘Hello, refugees,” He greets, “Your names?” Thora speaks up.  
“I am Hella Oye,” She gestures to herself and then to Ari, “and this is my brother Erlender.”  
“Welcome, Hella and Erlender,” He greets, “Welcome to Kattegat, how long do you wish to be here?”  
“Only for a month or two my lord,” She says with respect, “and then we will be on our way.”  
“Well, you are welcome here,” The Earl says, “for as long as you need.”  
“Thank you,” she replies, he gives her his name.  
“Earl Ragnar,” He begins, “ Ragnar Lothbrook.” She bows.  
“Thank you Earl Lothbrook,” She continues, “You are too kind.” she stands up straight. He calls to the girls behind him.  
“Show these two where they will be staying,” He tells them. They nod and guide them out of the Hall. His son was looking at her the entire time. The girls lead them to a barn not far from the Earl’s home.  
“Thank you,” Thora says, the girls nod and walk out. Ari laughs quietly.  
“That was only too easy!” He cheers quietly. She returns her laugh.  
“Quiet, they could be listening,” She commands. “Come we need to know what has been done with our horses." They walk out, only to find everything that belong to them already where they are staying. “Never mind.” Thora says with a laugh. Ari laughs as well.  
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“She was rather pretty,” his father says to him, he turns to him with a smile. He has to stop himself from smiling as well. He just nods.  
“Bjorn, she was lovely,” Aslaug agrees, He looks at both of them and smiles.  
“Yes, she was,” He agrees, “but I am not sure if she has anyone father.”  
“That’s why we ask Bjorn,” his father says as he gets up from this throne. He watches as he walks away with his stepmother and half brothers. They were right, she was rather pretty, but something about her seemed, off. Like she was too strong to be a refugee. He gets up from his seat to walk out of the hall. He walks down the steps and he sees her come out of the barn she is staying in. His father was right, she had this radiant beauty that the gods has given her. He walks down the steps to her.  
“Hella,” he calls out to her, she stops and turns. When she sees it’s him, she smiles kindly.  
“Hello,” She looks at him, “I’m sorry, I never got your name.” her smile was beautiful.  
"My name is Bjorn," he tells her. She nods.  
"Hello Bjorn, now we aren't strangers," she says. She smiles again and he can't help but return it.  
"Would you want to see the village?" He asks kindly. She looks down and smirks. She looks up.  
"I'd love to," she begins, "you're going to be showing me correct?" He laughs gently.  
"Yes," he stops and quickly adds, "unless you don't want me to." She shakes her head and walks closer to him. She stops when she is only a couple feet in front of him.  
"I would prefer if you showed me," she says with a smile. He can feel himself start to blush. When she sees, she laughs. He grabs her hand and starts leading her through the village. He points to the hall where meetings and such are held.  
"That is where my father holds his meetings and other Earl type duties," she follows his hand. She nods and they continue to walk on. He shows her the bakery, blacksmith shop, weaponry. The weaponry seemed to be her favorite. He can't help but ask.  
"What was it like in Enni?" He asks. She turns to him and smiles.  
"It was lovely," she begins with a soft smile. "My brother and I fought and my parents were farmers." He looks at her surprised. She smiles brighter, "what?"  
"Nothing, nothing," he pauses and looks at her, "you were a shield maiden? Or are?" She laughs slightly.  
"I am." She informs. He knew it.  
"What happened?" He asks gently, they are walking through the village to his favorite place. The caverns with the stream inside. He didn't realize until now. He sees her face grow somber, but she still managed to keep the beauty and seriousness.  
"We were invaded from the North," she begins, "we tried to defend ourselves but most of our warriors were out on a raid and we were left unprotected. My brother and I helped everyone we could but it wasn't enough." She begins to look like she was lost in thought.  
"Were there many casualties?" He asks, though unsure. He didn't want to be rude.  
"A fair few, yes," she informs. He lets his head fall.  
"I'm sorry, and your parents?" He trails off. She shakes her head.  
"They didn't make it," she lets her head fall as well though when she lifts it, she has a gentle smile, "but they are in Valhalla now, I'm sure if it." He smiles at how strong she was.  
“Of course they are,” he assures her. She smiles at him which he returns. They talk and laugh a while more until on of his half brothers, Ubbe, comes to him.  
“Bjorn, father needs you,” Ubbe calls. Bjorn stops laughing and looks at her. She gives him a look of understanding which puzzles him. He keeps his eyes on her. He smiles when her eyes meet his.  
“Tell him I’ll be there,” He calls to his brother. His brother runs back to their father. He gently takes both of her hands.  
“Go,” She whispers to him, “You shouldn’t keep him waiting.” Bjorn tosses his head to the side and smirks.  
“Let him wait,” Bjorn brings his head closer to hers and pulls her gently towards him. She shakes her head and laughs quietly.  
“Bjorn, go,” She insists, “You must listen to him.” He laughs at her, tossing his head back.  
“Fine, fine,” Bjorn laughs, “I’ll see you tomorrow?” She smiles and looks to the side, thinking.  
“Okay,” She agrees, “Walk me back?” He nods and pulls her gently back towards town.  
“Of course,” Bjorn replies. She smiles brightly and follows behind him all the way back to the barn in which she is staying. He stops her at the door.  
“Yes?” she asks, he smiles.  
“I would like it if you would sit with me and my family,” He looks at her gently, “at dinner tonight. Please?” she thinks again with a smile on her face.  
“Okay,” she agrees.  
“Good, I will come get you when it is time,” Bjorn informs.  
“Good,” She smiles.  
“Okay,” he states, she smiles.  
“Okay,” she states, he laughs at her. She laughs with him and walks inside. He stands there, looking at the spot where she just was, smiling.  
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“You must have a plan,” Ari says quietly, aggravated. She huffs.  
“I’m not a child,” She whispers angrily, “Of course I know what I’m doing.” He looks at her coldly, a look in which she returns.   
“You better hope so,” He turns away to go and sit down. She mocks him while he has her back turned to him. She goes to her bed and lays down. She tries to fall asleep while looking up at the ceiling. She moves onto her side, and then onto the other, but it is no use. She now has to wait in the tension until dinner tonight. When she will be able to see Bjorn again. She can’t get his smile out of her mind. It was uneven and had a boyish like charm to it. And when he threw his head back in laughter, she was reminded of a child. It was infectious. She smiles and turns onto her back. Looking up at the ceiling. She gets up and starts to walk out.  
“Where do you think you’re going?” Ari asks. She stops in front of the door, and turns angrily.   
“What does it matter to you where I go?” Thora asks. He shrugs and tosses the ball he had found into the air.  
“It doesn’t, just don’t get get killed,” He tells her. She turns around and smirks before she walks out. She closes the barn door behind her. She tosses her hood up and walks towards the bakery Bjorn had showed her to earlier. She opens the door gently and steps through.  
“Hello, how can I help you?” The baker asks, Thora puts down her hood and walks farther into the shop. She smiles at her.  
“Hello,” Thora replies. “I’m just wasting time that’s all, it all smelt so delicious.”  
“Oh, thank you,” The baker says. Thora nods and walk around inside. She smiles as she walks around, looking at all the goods. She reaches the last thing and turns to leave.  
“Thank you,” Thora says to the baker. The baker nods and she continues out of the shop. When she gets out she stops a slave girl and asks where she can find weapons to train with. She follows the girls arm with her gaze and walks in that direction after saying thank you. She walks inside and examines the swords, axes, and shields. She takes one sword, one axe, and one shield. She goes to the place Bjorn had taken her to earlier. She unsheathes the sword and drops the sheath onto the earth. The sword feels foreign to her. But she raises the sword in her right hand and swings in down to her left, slicing the air. She spins and raises the sword again and swings to the right, left, and then upward. She continues with the sword for many swings. She tosses the sword aside and picks up the axe. It was heavy in her hand, but the feeling wasn’t unfamiliar. She raises the axe, turns around fast and throws it out in front of her. It collides with a shield and she gasps.  
“Oh, Sorry!” she exclaims, she covers her mouth with her hands. The person behind the shield laughs and she knows who it is immediately. “Bjorn! You idiot, I could have killed you!” he laughs louder. Thora huffs.  
“You are good, Hella,” Bjorn agrees, “fight with me, Hella.” She leans back in surprise.  
“What?” Thora asks in surprise. He lowers the shield more.  
“Fight with me,” Bjorn repeats. He walks closer to her, she doesn’t move. She readies herself. He walks around her in a circle. Examining her.  
“Bjorn, what are you doing?” he laughs and turns to face her.  
“What do the Saxons say?” He begins, “I’m ‘weighing the competition’” She laughs at him.  
“You’re right,” Thora informs him. He stops in front of her and looks down. He smirks at her and throws a punch which she dodges. She goes behind him and leans into him. She whispers to him in his ear.  
“You’ve got to be quicker than that,” she whispers playfully. He chuckles and turns to her but she again goes behind him and slaps the back of his head. She chuckles when he does. He turns. This time she stays put. He throws another punch, she dodges and uppercuts him in the side, she connects. He grunts and he swings again. She moves in time and laughs. He looks at her frustrated.  
“You’re not focused,” She taunts. He grins as they circle each other.  
“It’s not my fault you are so distracting,” he flirts with a boyish grin on his face that she can’t help but chuckle at. She smirks.  
“If you want me,” she begins, “then you are going to have to catch me.” and with that she takes off into the wood next to them. She hears him laughing behind her. She jumps up unto the land in front of her, and then she hides behind a tree. He stops running and she looks out from behind the tree, he is looking around for her with a smile on his face. She tries to climb the tree quietly.  
“Hella,” he taunts, “where are you?” he hisses the end and she has to hold back laughter from above him. He starts to move forward, but before he can, she swings both her legs over and drops down on top of him. He was able to brace himself in time. She moves herself in his arms to the front of him.  
“You need to be vigilant at all times Bjorn,” She tells him flirtingly. “You never know what could drop down on you.”  
“You think you’re funny,” Bjorn states putting his head closer to hers. She squints her eyes at him.  
“I think I’m very funny,” she states. She takes his head in her hands and gets off him. He doesn’t let go of her waist when she gets to the ground.  
“I would have to agree,” he tells her, “you are very funny, are you ready for dinner?” she smiles and nods. He takes her hand and leads her back to the village.  
“We must get my brother,” Thora tells him.  
“Alright, we shall get him then,” He pulls her close to him as they walk. “I have to ask you something Hella.” She looks at him.  
“You can ask me anything, Bjorn.” She tells him.  
“Tell me, Hella, do you, are you?” He seems confused on how he wants to say what he wants to say. He closes his mouth to think. “Do you have a boyfriend?” she laughs gently and shakes her head.  
“No, I don’t,” She laughs, “Do you have a girlfriend?” He shakes his head.  
“No I do not,” He smiles when they reach the barn. She smiles and opens the door.  
“Come Erlender, dinner.” She calls to Ari. He gets up from the bed and walks to them. He smiles at her and then looks at Bjorn.  
“Who is this sister?” Ari asks. She looks down and then at Bjorn.  
“Erlender, this is Bjorn,” Erlender stands up straighter. “Bjorn, my brother.” Bjorn sticks out his hand, but Ari just walks towards the hall.  
“I have a feeling he does not like me,” Bjorn jokes. She smiles.  
“You may be right, but my brother doesn’t like a lot of people,” Thora tells him, “You are not the only one.” They laugh together. He takes her hand and guides her to the hall. They are laughing when they enter. She scans the hall for Ari and she finds him around a couple of men and more women, he looks like he is enjoying himself.  
“BJORN!” His father yells cheerfully at him, he chuckles quietly, “My son, come here! Bring Hella with you!” She chuckles again as he guides her to the table to sit with his family. “Hella! You are quite lovely!” She smiles and looks down.  
“Father, you’re embarrassing her,” Bjorn chasides, she hits him on the shoulder.  
“Hush Bjorn,” She commands, “Thank you Earl Ragnar.”  
“She keeps you in line,” Ragnar begins, “I like her already Bjorn.” She smiles and laughs.  
“Thank you father,” Bjorn says.  
“Come, sit, eat.” Ragnar commands. The comply and sit down. The food is brought out and they begin to eat. Bjorn piles her plate full and she laughs. He looks at her confused.  
“What?” He asks. She shakes her head.  
“Nothing,” She begins, “I just feel as though I am taking more than my share. There are people here who need this food more than I do.” Bjorn takes her hand.  
“Beautiful and Just,” Bjorn compliments, she can feel herself blushing, she looks down to hide it. He lifts her chin up, “Don’t hide it, I find it adorable.” She swats his hand away and scoffs playfully.  
“Oh, whatever,” she states. He laughs loudly at her.  
“Eat, eat all that you like,” Bjorn tells her, “you are our quests after all. You and your brother.”  
“Thank you,” She mumbles. She takes her cup and drinks. She shoves his shoulder with hers and then begins to eat. The food was delicious, like nothing they had in Forsa. He village. “I’ll tell you this,” He looks at her with a smile, “The food is much better here than in Enni, that’s for sure.” He laughs. He turns to his father.  
“Did you hear that father,” Ragnar turns to him with a mouth full of food, “Hella says that the food here is much better than her home’s.” Ragnar smiles and raises his cup as a thank you. He swallows and takes a drink before speaking.  
“Tell me, Hella,” He begins, “how was your life in Enni? What did you do there?” She swallows her drink and wipes her mouth.  
“Well, my family and I were farmers,” She begins, “My brother and I served our Earl as warriors.” at this Ragnar smiles.  
“You were a shield maiden?” He looks at her with increasing interest. She smiles.  
“I am, yes sir,” She restates. She smiles and looks down.  
“And a very good one father,” Bjorn begins, she gives him a threatening look, but he continues, “I fought with her before dinner, and I must say, she would be very useful,” He pauses and looks at her, “If she were to stay longer.” She catches a glimpse of Ragnar’s face from behind Bjorn’s head. He is smiling at them.  
“Well, we will just have to see won’t we?” Ragnar states, he looks at her again, “Continue, you were farmers.”  
“Yes, both my parents had grown up there.” She states. This much was true. Her father had grown up in Forsa, her village, and so did her mother, but they weren’t farmers. Her father was the Earl’s son and her mother was also a shield maiden. Ragnar nods.  
“Why did you have to seeks refuge here?” He asks kindly. She looks at him somberly.  
“We were attacked from the north,” She begins, “the earl and most of his men were away on a raid so we were, for the most part, unprotected.” Ragnar nods in understanding.  
“Did you lose many?” He asks gently. Bjorn’s stepmother was looking rather sad. Thora was beginning to hate this attention. She places her hands on her lap.  
“Yes, we lost a fair number,” She tells him, she looks at Ari, he was laughing with a group of people, she smiled lightly. How jealous she was of him that he didn’t have to share this conversation. She looks back at her table, “My brother and I, as well as other warriors, tried to save as many as we could, but it was no use.” Ragnar lowers his head.  
“I’m sorry,” He states, she smiles lightly.  
“It’s alright, hopefully my brother and I won’t have to keep wandering for long.” She says, trying to fit in as much optimism as she can.  
“And were your parents?” Ragnar starts. She slowly loses the smile. Bjorn takes her hand in his under the table and gently squeezes it. The gesture was strangely comforting to her.  
“Yes sir,” she informs, they all give her somber looks but she smiles softly, “but it’s alright, I will surely see them in Valhalla one day.” Ragnar looks at her and smiles.  
“Yes you will, We all will,” He raises his cup and looks at Bjorn, “You’ve chosen a tough one, if you are smart, you won’t let her get away.” Bjorn looks at her and Thora looks at him. She couldn’t help but smile.  
“Of course not father,” He states while still looking at her, “I wouldn’t dream of it.”


End file.
